Hi Jo, Kermie and Chris, I hope you've found this ok!
I have to really honest with myself this year. I've spent the last 2 years coming to rather huge realisations about my weight, the emotional issues, food choices, etc. Now I've just gotta put it all together and show some serious results.
Considering I've had a weight problem now for about 14 years, it wasn't until about 2 or 3 years ago that I finally allowed myself to stop feeling guilty for having a slow metabolism. Certainly from self-esteem point of view, it helped me feel less like a failure and more like a person who just happened to be born with slow metabolism. That then enabled me to look at my lifestyle and accept that I will never be one of those people who can eat what they want, when they want, with no consequences. I have reconciled myself to the fact that I will have to be careful of what I eat, and that I maintain regular exercise, for the rest of my life IF I want to change my body.
Of course, I have since been battling with the problem about whether I care about being fat or not. Of course I do! But there are times when I feel so tired and fed up with caring, I get so sick of counting points, forcing myself to exercise when I'm tired, missing out on all the foods I love.... But I know that at the end of the day, I hate being fat. And that I am going to have to sacrifice the "I wish" for "I will".
Over the last few months, I have renewed my love of the gym, and reaquainted myself with my muscles. I have also discovered a whole new world of organic food and healthy living. Admittedly, it didn't last long in the face of my first christmas without my husband, but I am still trying. I don't eat white bread. I buy organic food. I try and cook healthy meals more often than I buy takeaway......
But it can be a whole lot better, and I have to face the fact that I am going through yet another summer hiding under big clothes and suffering the heat, because I haven't been committed enough.
So now I have the chance to make a difference. With you all along for the ride, I'm hoping that us wanting this badly enough will help keep us going long enough to see some seriously amazing results.
I would like to issue the first challenge. This one is only for the coming week, see what you think:
If you and I want to really get this going, walk to your fridges, freezers, cupboards and pantrys, and THROW OUT ANYTHING THAT IS BAD FOR US!!!! Don't hang on to it "for the kids" - the kids can do without for a while. (or replace with something you don't crave that they like - I'm not a big fan of biscuits, so that's my kids' treats). Don't hang on to it to pass on to a friend - be honest, would it last that long?
Then, I want you to make a shopping list and go and buy lots of healthy food, including snacks that can be available anytime - I'm finding nuts, meusli bars, yoghurt, WW fruit salad etc really good little snacks that you can take with you to work, have in the car, etc.
TRY TO AVOID DINING OUT OR EATING AT OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES, unless you feel strong enough to make the right choices - low fat sauces, fresh salads without dressings, nothing fried, etc etc.
AND DRINK LOTS OF WATER - I've got 600ml bottles of water that I've bought from the shops that I just keep refilling and putting in the fridge at night. I then just drink those during the day, aiming for about 4 or 5 a day. It's a really good way to keep track of how much you're drinking.
Obviously the next thing is the exercise, but I want to focus on getting the environment back under control. Get past the xmas and new year celebrations, dusk off the cobwebs, and regain the focus to lose weight.
Wadda ya reckon? If you feel you don't need to do this, that's cool, but that's my week. I need to get things back under control, so that I can then start to make some serious plans about how I'm gonna lose this weight.
Next week I'd like to talk about goals, and if anyone's got anything coming up that they want to "trim down" for. Then maybe we can talk about how we can help each other work towards "mini goals" as well as that big GRAND FINALE = the GOAL WEIGHT!!! I've been aiming for that for such a long time it's moving into the realms of mythology! HA HA HA
I'm going to go and get my beauty sleep, so I'm all ready for a brand new start tomorrow. I hope you guys think what I've said and done is ok - I won't be offended if you want to change anything! We're in this together!!!!!
Kermie and Chris PLEASE drop a line soon!
See you tomorrow!